Siege of Doetinchem (1618)

The Siege of Doetinchem occurred in 1618 when a Dutch army commanded by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange besieged the Austrian stronghold of Doetinchem in Guelders. The battle occurred in the context of a massive Dutch offensive against Habsburg Austrian strongholds in the central Netherlands, and the Dutch mercenary army succeeded in destroying the gate of the castle with a battering ram. The Dutch braved burning oil and captured the gateway, and the Dutch attacked the small Austrian garrison, which literally fought to the death. The Dutch succeeded in overwhelming the garrison despite heavy losses, and they deprived the Austrians of their last stronghold to the east of the IJssel River, a success for the Dutch army.